Christine DeSmet mentors writers of novels, screenplays, plays, and short fiction. This year will see the debut of First-Degree Fudge, the first book in her Door County Fudge Shop Mystery Series, for editor Danielle Perez at New American Library/Penguin. Christine’s agent is John Talbot of The Talbot/Fortune Agency.
Email»• 608‑262‑3447

Laurie Scheer is former vice president of programming for WE: Women’s Entertainment. She has worked for ABC, Viacom, Showtime, and AMC-Cablevision. Having years of development experience within the hallowed halls of networks, studios, and production companies, Laurie knows how to analyze manuscripts and scripts as they enter the competitive media marketplace.
Email»• 608‑265‑3972

“This class covered a wide range of topics with a hands-on approach. The teacher brought a lot of practical experience, offered useful suggestions for improvement, and invited any questions that I might have on the craft and profession of writing.”

“I enjoyed the class - found solid information that I can and will use.”

“I can use this material immediately and it will be very helpful. Class was well-taught.”

“Good overview of writing practices and common sense.”

“Knowledgeable and lively presenter.”

“Very informative. Excellent examples and references provided.”

“The instructor was very helpful. Critiques were very constructive and encouraging.”

“I greatly enjoyed the experience. It is a flexible option and a great value. I have learned a great deal about formatting, developing story, and generating fresh ideas. I would highly recommend this course!”

“I could not have been more pleased with Christine DeSmet's instruction and the value I received from this class.”

“The instructor was very encouraging and gave excellent critiques and suggestions. I enjoyed working with her.”

“Firstly, I was amazed at the prompt responses and amount of feedback I got from Christine. Even more importantly, I was extremely impressed by (and grateful for) the quality and usefulness of her comments. She gave me confidence in my writing and some great ideas that moved me forward every time. I couldn't have had a better experience!”

Writing

Helping writers across the world improve their craft and achieve their professional goals

UW-Madison Continuing Studies’ Writing program is the premier resource for writers in the Midwest. We help writers improve their craft and achieve their professional goals. Our instructors are world-class experts—published authors, accomplished instructors, agents, publishers—who lead, facilitate, and teach face-to-face workshops, online classes, conferences, retreats, critique services and more.

We are proud to announce that Christopher Chambers will join our department as Writing Instructor/ Program Director on June 1.
Christopher is the current Director of the Percy Center of writing at Loyola and chair of their English department. He has written for television, and has published fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and book reviews in numerous publications. His work has received 4 Pushcart Prize nominations and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship for creative writing. Read more about Christopher here»

We help all types of writers hone their skills and overcome roadblocks on the way to publication, successful freelance writing, or writing for pure enjoyment. We critique fiction and nonfiction, including nonfiction book proposals.